Clothes washing machine and friction drive therefor



y 1966 D. A. BRACKMAN ETAL 3,252,310

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE AND FRICTION DRIVE THEREFOR Filed June 15, 1964 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Dom/n0 A. EFHCAMA/Y l/EEL as G. SHHEPE KENNETH 0. 5/55 o/v 726/2 14 Tree/76 May 24, 1966 D. A. BRACKMAN ETAL 3,252,310

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE AND FRICTION DRIVE THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Sheet :4

Filed June 15, 1964 m; 4 m3 Y 22 5 W 5 W I H 0 5 0% am%fi a? m m? W a 4 a F y 1966 D. A. BRACKMAN ETAL 3,252,310

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE AND FRICTION DRIVE THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 15, 1964 y 1966 D. A. BRACKMAN ETAL 3,252,310

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE AND FRICTION DRIVE THEREFOR Filed June 15, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 I lol L 22 l24 I28 I40 I,

INVENTORS Don '44 0 .4. BEHC/(MA/Y V624 05 G. SHHBFE KENNETH 0. 5/55 0 y 1966 D. A. BRACKMAN ETAL 3,252,310

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE AND FRICTION DRIVE THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 15, 1964 IOI May 24, 1966 D. A. BRACKMAN ETAL 3,252,310

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE AND FRICTION DRIVE THEREFOR Filed June 15, 1964 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS I 7 DO/YHLD 14. .BEHC/(Mfl/Y VEELOS Swee THE/E rroe/ve'r United States Patent 3,252,310 CLOTHES WASHHJG MACHINE AND FRICTION DRIVE THEREFOR Donald A. Brackman, Verlos G. Sharpe, and Kenneth 0.

Sisson, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 15, 1964, Ser. No. 375,158 9 Claims. (Cl. 68-23) This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to an improved roller drive mechanism for agitating and spinning in a clothes washer.

Roller drive mechanisms, such as taught in the patent to Brucken 3,087,321, issued April 30, 1963, use certain self-energizing rollers as idler members between the motor shaft and driven roller members for producing either agitate or spin. Certain of these rollers are povided with resilient tire portions of polyurethane or the like as the motion transmitting surface. In multiple speed agitate and spin mechanisms of the type taught by Brucken, the rollers are arranged adjacent a dependent motor shaft on different levels, and the selection of a particular level of rollers through which to drive determines the speed at which the driven member, such as the agitator or spin tub will operate. The problem arises when driving through a level of rollers which is farthest from the motor bearing which supports the extended motor shaft.

A greater bending load is placed on the extremity of the motor shaft and greater tensile stress is set up in the roller tire. In view thereof, this invention is directed to a dual capacitor energizing arrangement for operating the motor of a roller drive agitating and spinning mechanism in a multiple speed clothes washer.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide means for reducing the starting torque of a motor in a roller drive mechanism where drive situations create added stresses in the driving connection between the motor and the driven member.

A general object of this invention is the provision of a roller drive agitating and spinning mechanism producing a normal agitate speed of 330 1%" strokes per minute; a slow agitate speed of 220 strokes per minute; and tub spin speeds of 1010, 675, 450 and 300 revolutions per minute.

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of an improved roller drive agitating and spinning mechanism having a capacitor start motor adapted to produce multiple speed agitate and spin and including a dual starting capacitor, the low capacitance of which is automatically selected when said motor is operating to produce low and high speed agitate and low speed spins of 300 and 450 r.p.m., and the high capacitance of which is automatically selected when said motor is operating to produce high speed spinsvof 675 and 1010 r.p.m.

Further objects and advantages of the present inven- "tion will be apparent from the following description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic sectional view, partly in elevation, of a clothes washer provided with the improved roller drive agitate and spin mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, with parts broken away, of the improved roller drive agitate and spin mechanism;

"Ice

FIGURE 5 is a view like FIGURE 4 showing the mechanism rollers in a spinning drive relationship for the low speed spin values of 300 and 450 r.p.m.;

FIGURE 6 is a view like FIGURE 4 showing the mechanism rollers in a spinning drive relationship for the high speed spin values of 675 and 1010 r.p.m.;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic wiring diagram suitable for operating the improved roller drive agitating and spinning mechanism; and

FIGURE 8 is a timer cycle chart explaining the operation of the switches in FIGURE 7.

In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIGURE 1, a clothes washer 23 is comprised of a control housing assembly 25 and a casing 24. The casing 24 is generally divided into a mechanism portion or compartment 26 and a washing compartment or water container chamber 28. A generally centrally located bulkhead 30 separates the mechanism compartment 26 from the water container chamber 28 which is further bounded by a cylindrical porcelain enameled steel, water container wall 32. Within the water container 32 is a spin tub 34 having a top opening 36 and a plurality of centrifuging outflow ports or louvres 38. The ports 38 are designed to permit the egress of water from the tub 34 when the tub is rotated at high speed. For filling the tub 34 with water a conventional water supply system may be provided with a hot water solenoid actuated valve 40. and a cold water solenoid operated valve 42 which are manifolded into a mixed water supply conduit terminating at a chute 44 overlying the opening 36 of the tub. Within the tub 34, an agitator or pulsator 48 of the type taught in the patent to Bullock 3,132,500, issued May 12, 1964, is adapted to reciprocate to circulate or agitate the water admitted through the water supply chute 44. Thus, clothing placed within the tub 34 is Washed as the agitating action of the pulsator 48 causes surging toroidal currents of washing fluid and detergent through the fabric.

The improved roller drive mechanism 51 of this invention is suspended from a stationary shaft enclosing housing portion or mechanism supported means 54 which is connected to a resilient cup-shaped support member 56. The support member 56, in turn, is aflixed to an opening 58 in the bulkhead 30a suitable sealing gasket being provided to effect a watertight connection therebetween. Extending upwardly from the stationary en-' closing housing 54 and concentrically arranged therewith is an agitate or pulsate shaft 62 (FIGURE 2) to which the agitator 48 is connected and a spin shaft 64 which is connected to the bottom wall of the spin tub 34. In order to dampen excessive gyrating or swinging movement of the agitate and spin mechanisms lowerend, a snubber device may be used at 70.

A fabric selector switch assembly 49 having twelve manually operable push buttons 47 cooperates with a two speed sequential operating timer means 50 of the type taught in the patent to Sisson 2,870,834, issued January 27, 1959, selectively to admit water through the supply conduit 44, to spin the tub 34, to vertically reciprocate the agitator or pulsator 48, and to dispense various washing agents in accordance with the energization of a solenoid controlled fabric conditioner valve 72 and detergent dispenser valve 74. The timer 50 is operated by a timer motor 76 adapted to operate at a fast speed for a short cycle or a slow speed for a regular cycle in accordance with the energization or deenergization of a timer speed solenoid 78.

Turning now to FIGURES 7 and 8, the timer 50 in cludes a plurality of cam actuated switches operating be tween timer. contacts 3 and 5-22 is accordance with the disclosure of the cycle chart of FIGURE 8. The contact is closed by its respective timer switch when the chart time increment is solid. Depending on whether the timer speed solenoid 78 is energized or deenergized, the timer will advance in increments of fifty seconds or seventy-five seconds, respectively. The control circuitry may also include a main line switch 61 and a clothes washer lid switch 63, the operation of which is well known in the art.

Referring to FIGURE 7, the fabric selector switch assembly 49 is shown comprised of internal switches 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88 and 89. Each of these switches is positioned in accordance with the selection of one of the twelve push buttons 47 exposed on the console of the clothes washer. The internal fabric selector switches 80- 89, inclusive, are shown in the situation where none of the buttons 47 has been depressed. The internal switches of the fabric selector will be moved to the opposite position shown in FIGURE 7 in accordance with the manual depression of the exposed push buttons as-follows: depressing the first push button, labeled REGULAR, WHITE AND COLORFAST, will close switch 80, open switch 84 and move switch 88 to contact 91, all other fabric selector switchs will remain as shown; depressing the second push button, labeled REGULAR NON-COL- ORFAST, will close switch 80, and move switch 88 to contact 91, all other switches will remain as shown; depressing the third push button, labeled SPECIAL, will close switch 80 and move switch 89 to contact 93, all other switches will remain as shown; depressing the fourth push button, labeled WASH AND WEAR- WHITE COTTON, will close switches 80 and 83 and will open switches 84 and 86, all other switches will remain as shown; depressing the fifth push button, labeled WASH AND WEARMAN MADE, will close switches 80 and 83 and will open switch 86, all other switches remain as shown; depressing the sixth push button, labeled DELICATE, will close switches 80 and 83, will open switch 86 and will move switch 89 to contact 93, all other switches remain as shown; depressing the seventh push button, labeled SMALL LOAD, will move switch 87 to contact 95, all other switches remain as shown; depressing the eighth push button, labeled COLD RINSE AND SOAK, will open switch 86, all other switches remain as shown; depressing the ninth push but ton, labeled COLD WASH, will move switch 85 to contact 97 and will open switch 86, all other switches remain as shown; depressing the tenth push button, labeled SOAK AND WASH, will close switch 82, all other switches will remain as shown; depressing the eleventh switch, labeled EXTRA RINSE, will move switch 81 to contact 99; and depressing the twelfth push button, labeled CANCELED, will return all of the internal switches in the fabric selector 49 to the positions shown in FIGURE 7.

Turning to FIGURES 1, 2 and 7, the agitating and spinning mechanism 51 is shown provided with a one-third horsepower, single phase, capacitor start, two speed, 1725/ l 140 rpm. 4/6 pole reversible motor 100 having a rotatable power shaft means 102 depending from the lower end frame 101 of the motor casing. It should be understood that the power shaft means 102 is journaled within the motor casing on conventional permanently lubricated ball-type bearings at both ends of the motor casing in a manner which leaves the exposed end of the power shaft means outside of the motor casing substantially unsupported.

The agitating and spinning mechanism 51 is comprised of a plurality of self-energizing rollers between the motor 100 and a pump housing 103 which are selectively engageable in the driving connection between the power shaft means 102 and either the spin shaft means 64 or the agitate shaft means 62 to selectively drive either the agitator 48 or the spin tub 34. More particularly, the set of rollers is comprised of a spin wheel assembly 104 drivably connected to the spin shaft 64 through an impact clutch means of the type taught in the copending application to Fosler, Ser. No. 303,447, filed August 20, 1963, and assigned to the same assignee as'this invention, and

having a larger diameter high speed spin wheel section 106 and a smaller diameter low speed spin wheel section 108 fastened as by screws 110 to the underside of the high speed spinwheel section 106.

The agitate shaft 62 extends out of the bottom end of the shaft supporting housing 54 to expose a lower portion 112 thereof for connection with one end of an agitate arm assembly 114 by means of a yieldable rubber mount or ball support 116 taught more fully in the patent to Sisson 3,060,712, issued October 30, 1962. The agitate arm assembly 114 consists of an arm with a shaft and bearing assembly pressed into the other end with the shaft 117 mounted in the inclined hub 119 of an agitate wheel 120 which is positioned with said spin wheel assembly 104 and said power shaft means 102 in rather a triangular arrangement (FIGURE 3).

The power shaft means 102 is provided with a small diameter driving section or agitate and low speed spin driver 122 and a large diameter driving section or high speed spin driver 124. The driver 122 is a metal sleeve having a key formed therein which mates with a keyway on the motorshaft. The driver 124 is an aluminum wheel which is keyed to the motor shaft adjacent to the motor lower end frame 101. Note that the smaller diameter section 122 is most remote from the motor casing and the bearing means therein for journaling the extended power shaft means.

Between the high speed spin wheel section 106 and the large diameter driving section 124 of the power shaft means is a self-energizing high speed spin roller 126 resiliently tired with polyurethane or the like and shiftably mounted for pivoting action about a pivot pin 128 on the motor end frame for selective movement in and out of wedging engagement between the high speed spin wheel section 106 and the large diameter driving section 124 of the power shaft. To remove the high speed spin roller 126 from driving engagement, a spin solenoid 130 on the lower motor end frame includes an armature 132 .connected through a linkage 134 to a bracket 135 carrying the roller and selectively energizable for pivoting the high speed spin roller 126 in and out of driving relationship between the power shaft means and the spin wheel assembly. A spring 137 makes the roller 126 self-energizing by returning the roller to wedging engagement with the spin wheel section 106 and the driver 124 whenever the solenoid 130 is deenergized. A single pole, double throw capacitor selector switch 136 to be explained more fully hereinafter is also carried on the lower end frame of the motor and positioned in a manner to be actuated by an extension 138 on the linkage 134 in accordance with the energization of the solenoid 130.

Beneath the high speed spin roller 126, there is arranged a self-energizing low speed spin roller 140 laterally shiftably mounted on a fixed upwardly extending pillar 141 from the pump housing and a self-energizing agitate roller 142 laterally shiftably mounted on a screw 143 fastened to the lower motor end frame. Note that each of the rollers 140 and 142 is also provided with a resilient tire of polyurethane or the like to improve the driving connection between the power shaft means 102 and its respective driven member.

Both of the rollers 140 and 142 are mounted for shifting lateral movement on spacers (not shown) which are smaller in diameter than the center hole of the roller hub. In this manner the rollers are free to float about the spacers in all directions horizontally from the center of the rollers as taught more fully in the copending application to Sisson, Ser. No. 303,386, filed August 20, 1963, now Patent No. 3,165,911, and assigned to the same assignee as this invention. In general, spring means 152, 154 and 156 cooperate with the laterally shiftable mounting arrangement of the rollers 140 and 142 to continuously urge the rollers toward a driving engagement, i.e., self-energizing.

In accordance with this invention, means are provided to alter the driving torque of the power shaft means 102 depending on whether the power shaft means is driving through the high speed spin roller 126 on the one hand or through the low speed spin roller 140 orthe agitate roller 142 on the other hand. Where the rollers are arranged. on different vertical levels along the power shaft in a roller drive mechanism 51,'it is apparent that greater bending loads will be imposed upon the power shaft means when driving through the lower extremity 122 thereof, i.e., farther from the ball bearing support of the power shaft. In addition, the stresses imposed by the small diameter power shaft section 122 on the resilient tires of the rollers 140 and 142 increases with the driving torque of the power shaft. In view thereof and with reference to FIGURES 1, 2 and 7, this invention prov-ides a dual capacitor 160 having a high capacitance portion 162 and a low capacitance portion 164. The capacitor selector switch 136 is, thus, adapted by the energization of the spin solenoid 130 to connect in series with the phase winding 166 of the two-speed motor 100 a low capacitance setting 164 to effect a lower motor drive torque where the driving connection is through the lowermost portion of the power shaft means, i.e., the small diameter power shaft drive section 122. The capacitor 160 is essentially two capacitors assembled in a single case with three external terminals. One of the terminals is common and the other two terminals are internally connected, each to one of the separate capacitors within the case. The high capacitance portion 162 is rated at 124149 mfd. at 125 volts A.C. while the other capacitance portion 164 is rated at 80-100 mfd. at 125 volts A.C.

Selection of capacitance value 162 or 164 is made in accordance with the selection by the operator at the push buttons of the fabric selector assembly 49-this capacitance selection being performed through the single pole, double throw switch 136 whenever the solenoid 130 is either energized or deenergized. When thesolenoid 130 is deenergized for effecting a high speed spin operation of 675 and 1010 rpm, the switch selects the high capacitance portion 162 (as shown in FIGURE 7) and high motor torque results. When the solenoid is energized for low and high speed agitate and for the low speed spin operations of 300 and 450 rpm, the switch 136 is actuated to select the low capacitance portion 164 and low motor torque results. 1

Agitation 0perationFIGURE 4 For agitation operation the motor shaft rotates clockwise. The agitate driver-122 being keyed to the motor shaft, drives the agitate roller 142. The agitate roller is pulled into light contact with both the agitate driver and agitate wheel by the agitate roller tension springs 152 and 154.

As the motor starts to rotate, the floating action of the roller 142 on its spacer permits the roller to be pulled by force of motor rotation into positive contact with the surfaces of the agitate driver 122 and the agitate wheel 120. Thus the rotational torque of the motor is transmitted through the agitate roller to cause the agitate wheel to rotate clockwise.

As a result of the inclined mounting of the agitate arm shaft into the hub of the agitate wheel, reciprocal motion is applied through the agitate arm assembly 114 to the agitate shaft 62 as the agitate wheel rotates.

As reciprocal motion is applied to the agitate shaft through the agitate arm, the agitate arm moves in an arc. The resulting relationship between the motion of the agitate arm and the agitate shaft is accommodated by the flexible rubber mount 116 connected between the agitate shaft and one end of the agitate arm assembly 114.

The low speed spin roller 140 rotates during agitation operation, being driven by the agitate driver 122. Due to the direction of motor rotation and the floating action of the roller on its spacer, the rotational force imparted by the agitate driver tends to push the roller away from the spin wheel section 108. As a result, the low speed spin Spin 0prati0nFIGURES 5 and 6 For spin operation, the motor shaft rotates counterclockwise. The high speed spin roller 126 is driven by the high speed spin driver 124. The low speed spin roller 140 is driven by the agitate driver 122.

For low speed spin operation (300 and 450 rpm.) FIGURE 5, the high speed spin roller solenoid is energized, pulling the high speed spin roller 126 out of contact with the spin driver 124 and the spin Wheel section 106. The low speed spin roller 14.0 is pulled into light contact with both the agitate driver 122 and the spin wheel section 108 by the tension spring 156 in the hub of the roller. As the motor starts to rotate, the floating action of the spin roller on its spacer permits the roller to be pulled by rotational force into positive contact with the surfaces of the agitate driver 122 and the spin wheel section 108. Thus the rotational torque of the motor is transmitted through the low speed spin roller to cause the spin wheel to rotate counterclockwise.

For high speed spin operation (675 and 1010 rpm.) FIGURE 6, the high speed spin roller solenoid 130 is de-energized. The high speed spin roller 1216 is pushed into light contact with both the high speed spin driver 124 and the spin wheel section 106 by a tension spring 167 in the solenoid linkage. As the motor starts to rotate, the floating action of the roller on its spacer permits the roller to be pulled by rotational force into positive contact with the surfaces of the spin driver and the spin wheel. Thus, the rotation torque of the motor is transmitted through the high speed spin roller to cause the spin wheel to rotate counterclockwise.

During the high speed spin, the low speed spin roller 140-remains in light contact with the agitate driver 1 22 and the spin wheel section 108 during high speed spin operation, under tension of the spring in the hub of the roller. However, the spin wheel, rotating at high speed imparts a force on the low speed spin roller 140 that tends to push the roller away from the agitate driver. the low speed spin roller is overridden during high speed spin operation.

It should now be seen that an improved agitating and spinning mechanism of the roller drive type has been provided wherein bending loads on the motor shaft and tensile stresses in the roller tires are minimized by the selective utilization of starting capacitance in conjunction with a drive motor to provide for reduced drive torque in those situations where the shaft bending loads and tire tensile stresses are most severe.

While the embodiment o f-the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a washing machine, a tub, an agitator in said tub, means for rotatalbly supporting said tub, a two speed, reversible, capacitor start motor having a motor shaft extending therefrom, power transmitting means drivingly connecting said motor shaft to said tub for rotating said tub and to said agitator for mowing said agitator, said power transmitting means comprising a plurality of se l energizing, resiliently tired motion transmitting rollers having dilferent moment arms and selectively engagealble with said motor shaft at different points along the length thereof, and means for selectively transmitting motion through different ones of said rollers to select predetermined diiferent speed ratios between said motor shaft and said tub or said agitator, said last named means including circuit means for controlling the starting of said motor,

said circuit means including capacitor means having a high capacitance portion and a low capacitance portion and switch means selectively connecting said capacitance portions in power supply relationship to said motor in accordance with the selection of a roller through which motion is being transmitted, thereby to change the driving torque of said motor and thus the bending load on said motor shaft and the tensile stresses in the roller tire.

2. In a washing machine, tub means, means for movably supporting said tub means, capacitor start motor means having a motor shaft extending therefrom, power transmitting means drivingly connecting said motor shaft to said tub means for moving said tulb means, said power transmitting means comprising a plurality of self-energizing, resiliently tired motion transmitting rollers selectively engageable with said motor shaft at different points along the length thereof, and means for selectively transmitting motion through different ones of said rollers to select predetermined different speed ratios between said motor shaft and said tub means, said last named means including circuit means for controlling the starting of said motor means, said circuit means including capacitor mean-s having a high capacitance portion and a low capacitance portion and means selectively connecting said capacitance portions in power supply relationship to said motor means in accordance with the selection of a roller through which motion is being transmitted, thereby to change the driving torque of said motor shaft and thus the bending load on said motor shaft and the tensile stresses inthe roller tire.

3. In a washing machine, tub means, means for movably supporting said tub means, capacitor start motor means having a motor shaft extending therefrom, power transmitting means drivingly connecting said motor shaft to said tub means for moving said tnb means, said power transmitting means comprising a pair of self-energizing, resiliently tired motion transmitting rollers halving different moment arms and selectively engageable with said motor shaft at different points along the length thereof, and means including linkage means for disengaging one of said rollers for selectively transmitting motion through the other of said rollers to select predetermined different speed ratios between said motor shaft and said tu b means, said last named means including circuit means for controlling the starting of said motor means, said circuit means including capacitor means having a high capacitance portion and a low capacitance portion and switch means actuatable by said linkage means for selectively connecting said capacitance portions in power supply relationship to said motor means in accordance with the selection of a roller through which motion is being transmitted, thereby to change the driving torque of said motor shaft and thus the bending load on said motor shaft and the tensile stresses in the roller tire.

4. In combination, washing means, capacitor start motor means having a motor shaft extending therefrom, power transmitting means drivingly connecting said motor shaft to said washing means for operating said washing means in a washing cycle, said power transmitting means comprising a plurality of self-energizing resiliently tired motion transmitting rollers selectively engageable with said motor shaft at different points along the length thereof, and means for selectively transmitting motion through different ones of said rollers to select predetermined different speed ratios between said motor shaft and said washing means, said last named means including circuit means for controlling the starting of said motor means, said circuit means including capacitor means having a high capacitance portion and a low capacitance portion and switch means selectively connecing said capacitance portions in power supply relationship to said motor means in accordance with the selection of a roller through which motion is being transmitted, thereby to change the driving torque of said mtor means and thus the bending load on said motor shaft and the tensile stresses in the roller time.

5. In combination, washing means, capacitor start motor means having a motor shaft extending therefrom, power transmitting means drivingly connecting said motor shaft to said washing means for operating said washing means in a washing cycle, said power transmitting means comprising a plurality of self-energizing, motion transmitting rollers selectively engageable with said motor shaft at different points along the length thereof, and means for selectively transmitting motion through different ones of said rollers to select predetermined different speed ratios between said motor shaft and said washing means, said last named means including circuit means for controlling the starting of said motor means, said circuit means including capacitor means having a high capacitance portion and a low capacitance portion and switch means selectively connecting said capacitance portions in power supply relationship to said motor means in accordance with the selection of a roller through which motion is being transmitted, thereby to change the driving torque of said motor means and thus the bending load on said motor shaft.

6. An agitating and spinning mechanism comprising, two shaft means concentrically arranged, support means for said shaft means, means drivably connected to one of said shaft means for rotating said one of said shaft means, means drivably connected to the other of said shaft means for driving said other of said shaft means, a reversible power shaft means having large diameter and small diameter drive sections, first self-energizing, resiliently tired roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said rotating means and the large diameter drive section of saidv power shaft means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said rotating means, second self-energizing, resiliently tired roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said driving means and the small diameter drive section of said power shaft means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said driving means, one of said first and second roller drive means motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means to said driving means or said rotating means in response to the direction of said power shaft means for inducing agitating oispinning, and means for energizing said power shaft means for high torque operation when said first roller drive means is transmitting motion and for energizing said power shaft means for low torque operation when said second roller drive means is transmitting motion thereby to minimize the bending load on said small diameter drive section of said power shaft means and the tensile stresses in the tire of said second roller drive means.

7. An agitating and spinning mechanism comprising, two shaft means concentrically arranged, support means for said shaft means, means drivably connected to one of said shaft means for rotating said one of said shaft means, means drivably connected to the other of said shaft means for driving said other of said shaft means, a reversible power shaft means having large diameter and small diameter drive sections, first self-energizing, resiliently tired roller drive means laterally movalble with respect to said rotating means and the large diameter drive section of said power shaft means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said rotating means, second self-energizing, resiliently tired roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said driving means and the small diameter drive section of said power shaft means for selectivelymotion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said driving means, one of said first and second roller drive means motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means to said driving means or said rotating means in response to the direction of said power shaft means for inducing agitating or spinning, and means for energizing said power shaft means for high torque operation when said first roller drive means is transmitting motion and for energizing said power shaft means for low torque operation when said second roller drive means is transmitting thereby to minimize the bending load on said small diameter drive section of said power shaft means and the tensile stresses in the tire of said second roller drive means, said energizing means including high 'capacitance means in power supply relationship to said power shaft means for high torque operation and low capacitance means in power supply relationship to said power shaft means for low torque operation.

8. A clothes washer mechanism comprising, driven shaft means, support means for said driven shaft means, means drivably connected to said driven shaft means for driving said driven shaft means, motor operated power shaft means having first diameter and second diameter drive sections, first self-energizing, resiliently tired roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said driving means and the first diameter drive section of said power shaft means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said driving means, second self-energizing, resiliently tired roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said driving means and the second diameter drive section of said power shaft means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said driving means, means connected to one of said first and second roller drive means and operable to selectively effect a motion transmitting connection between said power shaft means and said driving means with the other of said roller drive means, and means operable with said selectively effecting means for energizing said power shaft means for high torque operation when said one of said roller drive means is transmitting motion and for energizing said power shaft means for low torque operation when said other of said roller drive means is transmitting motion thereby to minimize the bending load on said second diameter drive section of said power shaft means and the tensile stresses in the tire of said other of said roller drive means, said energizing means including high motor torque effecting means in power supply relationship to said power shaft means for high torque operation and low motor torque effecting means in power supply relationship to said power shaft means for low torque operation.

9. A clothes washer mechanism. comprising, driven shaft means, support means for said driven shaft means, means drivably connected to said driven shaft means for driving said driven shaft means, motor operated power shaft means having first diameter and second diameter drive sections, first self-energizing roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said driving means and the first diameter drive section of said power shaft means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said driving means, second self-energizing roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said driving means and the second diameter drive section of said power shaft means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said driving means, means connected to one of said first and second roller drive means and operable to selectively effect a motion transmitting connection between said power shaft means and said driving means with the other of said roller drive means, and means operable with said selectively effecting means for energizing said power shaft means for high torque operation when said one of said roller drive means is transmitting motion and for energizing said power shaft means for low torque operation when said other of said roller drive means is transmitting motion thereby to minimize the bending load on said second diameter drive section of said power shaft means, said energizing means including high motor torque effecting means in power supply relationship to said power shaft means for high torque operation and low motor torque effecting means in power supply relationship to said power shaft means for low torque operation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1962 Barbulesco et al. 6823 X 4/1963 Brucken 6823 

1. IN A WASHING MACHINE, A TUB, AN AGITATOR IN SAID TUB, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID TUBE, A TWO SPEED, REVERSIBLE, CAPACITOR START MOTOR HAVING A MOTOR SHAFT EXTENDING THEREFROM, POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTING SAID MOTOR SHAFT TO SAID TUB FOR ROTATING SAID TUB AND TO SAID AGITATOR FOR MOVING SAID AGITATOR, SAID POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SELFENERGIZING, RESILIENTLY TIRED MOTION TRANSMITTING ROLLERS HAVING DIFFERENT MOVEMENT ARMS AND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID MOTOR SHAFT AT DIFFERENT POINTS ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY TRANSMITTING MOTION THROUGH DIFFERENT ONES OF SAID ROLLERS TO SELECT PREDETERMINED DIFFERENT SPEED RATIOS BETWEEN SAID MOTOR SHAFT AND SAID TUB OR SAID AGITATOR, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS INCLUDING CIRCUIT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE STARTING OF SAID MOTOR, SAID CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING CAPACITOR MEANS HAVING A HIGH CAPACITANCE PORTION AND A LOW CAPACITANCE PORTION AND SWITCH MEANS SELECTIVELY CONNECTING SAID CAPACITANCE PORTIONS IN POWER SUPPLY RELATIONSHIP TO SAID MOTOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SELECTION OF A ROLLER THROUGH WHICH MOTION IS BEING TRANSMITTED, THEREBY TO CHANGE THE DRIVING TORQUE OF SAID MOTOR AND THUS THE BENDING LOAD ON SAID MOTOR SHAFT AND THE TENSILE STRESSES IN THE ROLLER TIRE. 